Living-Intro

I found Living More with Less by Doris Janzen Longacre in my mailbox sent from a kindred heart and dear friend. The book was copyrighted in 1980, and was commissioned by the Mennonite Central Committee. I like a lot of the thought process this book is working through, and am definitely convicted by these simplistic and perhaps even Biblical ideas. I will share a few pieces from the foreword:

"Unless there is at least a whisper, and maybe a shout, within you against rich living, lay this aside.
"Truth comes only to those who must have it, who want it badly enough. And gifts of healing come only to those willing to change. Jesus had his demands even for the blind and leprous. Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam. Show yourself to the priest. Sin no more. He had larger demands for the rich. Sell all and come.
"There is hope for us but no easy healing. There is truth but never without search." p15

*Disclaimer: What I tend to hear is closer to the shout than whisper... and thus my writings and quotes pulled will undoubtedly be biased.

"Following and obeying Jesus Christ is never a list of responsibilities. It is perpetual response to the living God." p16

What does this look like in my life, and yours? It is more often than not easy to get caught in the legalities of "being a christian."

"So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God." Romans 7:4

A perpetual response to the living God means bearing fruit. The book warns:

"Many decisions still will be hard. But strong standards rooted in commitment to Christ offer hope for better choices" p17